Friction shock-absorbing mechanism.



l. F. OCONNOR.

FRICTION SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANIS-M.

APPLICATION man FEB.1s.191B.

1,284,755. PzltvntodNm'. 12,-1918.

` VENToR. J/m, @maar ATTQR Y FICE.

JOHN F. OCONNOR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 WILLIAM H. MINER,` OF CHAZY, NEW YORK.

FRICTION SHOCK-ABSORBING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent Patented Nov. 12, 191s.

Application filed February 16, 1918. Serial No. 217,508.

To ZZ vwhom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN F. OCoNNoR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago. in the county of Cook and State of Illinois', have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Friction Shock-Absorbing Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear. concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompany'- -ing drawings, forming a part of this speciployed to effect a certain release, it is evident that the pressure from the main wdge'to each of the shoes is concentrated along single lines with the result that great care must be exercised in manufacturing the shoes from material which will be of suiiicient strength and hardness to prevent the rolls from indenting the shoes. The care thus required in obtaining the proper metal and design of shoe to withstand the concentrated pressures materially increases the cost 0f the shoes. To overcome this difficulty, it has heretofore been suggested to employ a plurality of anti-friction rollers instead ofa single roller between each shoe and the wedge to thereby distribute the pressures over larger areas and avoid theV concentration of pressure hereinbefore referred to. However, due to the fact that all of the arts of these types ot' friction gears are substantially necessarily manufactured without machining in order to keep down the manufacturing cost, it has been found impracticable to utilize a plurality of rollers as suggested for the reason that proper bear'- ings are not insured by the method of manufacture referred to. In other words, where a plurality of anti-friction rollers are employed between two surfaces that are not accurately machined, one roller may be in proper engagement with the. opposed surfaces while an adjacentroller will not be in proper engagement. with consequent-danger of failure in operation.

The object of my invention isto` provide a friction shock absorbing mechanism. employing a plurality of anti-friction rollers between each friction shoe and the' main wedge and wherein a simple expedient is employed to insure proper bearing of the plurality of 'rollers on the opposed surfaces betw een which they are located.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a longitudinal, vertical, sectional view of a portion of a draft rigging showing my improvements in connection therewith. Fig. 2 is an enlarged. detail, sectional view, illustrating the ar-l rangement of .the friction elemen-ts, and more particularly the arrangement of antifriction rolls' and equalizerl employed therewith. Fig. 3 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view,taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

In said drawing, the shock absorbing mechanism is shown as mounted between a front follower l0 and rear follower 11, which coperate with the usual front and rear stops 12 and lfsecured to the inner faces of the draft sills l-l of a railway car in the usual manner. The shock absorbing mechanism is operatively connected to the draw bar 15 by any suitable means, such as the usual strap yoke 16 and the parts'are supported by a saddle plate 17.

The improved shock absorbing mechanism. as shown, includes a cast-ing A, al plurality of friction shoes B, `a main wedge C, a spring D, sets of anti-friction rollers E-E, and an equalizer F for each .set ofrollers E-E.

The casting A is formed with a fgiction shell proper 18 -at its forwa'rd end, a spring casing 19, and a rear integral end 20. The friction shoes B, of which there are preferably three arranged circularly, are provided on their-outer faces with friction surfaces 21 coperabley withthe interior friction surface of the shell 18 and on their inner faces. each of the shoes B has a wedge face or surface 22, as most clearly shown in Fig. 2.

The wedge C provided with three wedging faces 23, one opposite each of the wedging faces 9*) and inpractice. the wedge faces 23 will be made arcuate or concave. as clearly illustrated in Fig. pair of anti-friction rollers E-E is preferably employed between each .friction shoe and thc main wedge. one of said anti-friction rollers E normally bearing against a seat 24 provided Jfrom becoming displaced axially of the rollers. ()n the face adjacent the main wedge, eaeh'equalizer F is convexed. as indicated at Q8 and the radius of said convex surface is somewhat shorter than the radius ot' the concave surface 23 of the wedge so that the equalizer F is permitted a tilting movement with respect to the wedge C.

lith the equalizers F constructed as described. it is evident that the opposed surfaces 22 of the shoes and surfaces of the equalizers will always remain in true line contact with both of the rollers E-E Since the ejualizers F can read'ilv adjust themselves by rocking on the main wedge to accomplish this result. In Fig. 2. the difference in curvatures of the surfaces 23 and 28 is somewhat exaggerated to more clearly disclose thenianner of carrying ont the invention. In actualpractice. the difference will be verjY slight but sufficient to permit whatever roclting movement of the equalizers may be uecessar \v to accomplish the result above described. lith the arrangement described, it is evident that I am enabled to obtain all the advantages of a wide distribution of the' pressure yover a plurality of anti-friction rollers while at the same time avoiding the diiticulties heretofore experienced due to inability to maintain a proper contact at all times between all the rollers and the opposed wedging surfaces between which the v are interposed. The operation of the shock absorbing mechanism being well known` need not be described in detail.

I claim:

1. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism. thecombination with a friction shell, friction shoes coperable therewith and having inner wedge faces. a spring resistance for the shoes` and a pressure-transniitting member: of a set of anti-friction rollers interposed between the wedge face of each shoe and said member; and an equalizer cooperable with each set of anti-friction rollers and engaging said member.

Q. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism. the combination with a friction shell:

of a plurality of friction shoes coperable with said shell and having inner wedge faces; spring means for resisting movement ot' said shoes relatively to the shell; a pressure-transmitting member'having a series of wedge faces corresponding to the wedge faces of the friction shoes; and aplurality of anti-friction rollers and -.an equalizer interposed between each set of wedging faces on said member and friction shoes, the antifriction rollers directly engaging one wedge face of each set and the equalizer being rockable with respect to the other wedge face of each set.

3. In a friction shock absorbing mechanism including two members arranged to have pressure transmitted from one to the other, the combination with a pair of antifriction rollers engaging one of said members, of an equalizer interposed between said anti-friction rollers and the other of said members, said equalizer being adjustable with respect to the last named member.

4. In a shock absorbing mechanism. the combination with a friction shell and a pluality of friction shoes coperable therewith, each of said shoes having a wedge face on its inner side; of spring means for resisting y movement of said shoes relatively to the shell; a main wedge having a series of wedge faces opposed to the Wedge faces of the shoes; a pair of anti-friction rollers bearing on the wedge face of each shoe; and an equalizer for each pair of anti-friction rollers. said equalizer engaging the anti-friction rollers on one side and the corresponding wedge face of the main wedge on the other side. the engaging faces of the wedge and the equalizerslbeing curved on different radii to thereby permit the equalizers to rock with respect to the main wedge.

In a shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with a casting having a friction shell and a spring casing formed integralljy therewith; of a spring mounted within said Ieasing; a circularlv arranged set 0f friction JOHN F. OCNNOR 

